Page 33 of Ensnared

So they’ll roast humans without a thought, but for this little boy, they’re knotting up a blanket full of crap? Do they think it atones for their past evils?

Hardly.

Changing dens is hard for little ones, Gordon says. I don’t mind carrying his stuff.

So what if he’s being sweet? I refuse to be swayed.

“Let’s go.”

Rufus is waiting outside, his shoulder height in dragon form a little too tall to easily crouch underneath even the large Star Furniture entry. The girls, their backpacks slung over their shoulders already, climb on. Coral looks delighted, and she’s even holding Fluff Dog. Miracle of miracles, though the little floof is trembling, she’s sitting mostly still on Rufus’ back. Jade looks practically green, clearly already anticipating a long, miserable ride like the first.

But this time, we don’t set out at a breakneck pace. Although Axel didn’t dump us inside the dragon colony, we must not be too far away, because he stays in his human form. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we headed?”

“It’s a ten-minute walk,” he says. “Give or take.”

“Okay.” I don’t point out that my siblings could walk that, too. Maybe he’s bringing his buddies as a show of force or something.

We don’t go far before we turn down a large highway that is surprisingly not entirely abandoned. It’s hardly rush hour traffic, but there are cars driving back and forth. “What’s going on? Who are those people?” And why didn’t he let me bring my car?

“We’re beginning to reintegrate the assimilated humans. They’re able to maintain the basic human infrastructure for us, even in occupied Houston.”

Occupied Houston. Assimilated humans. My brain rebels at the words. “Come again?”

“I thought a walk would be helpful, so I can explain the basics of the training you’re about to undergo. Ensnared humans are chosen for their abilities—specifically, your telepathic powers.”

“Telepathic, like, my mind can talk to you?”

“That and other things.”

That sounds ominous.

“Once you’re properly trained, you’ll be able to use your mind to monitor other humans. You’ll be able to set them simple, and then later more complex, tasks. Monitoring their completion is simple, and redirecting when necessary will be done with ease.”

“Are you saying I’ll be directing humans like they’re robots?”

“Not exactly. Think of how you just told Sammy he couldn’t take his belongings. At first, he was disappointed, but you know that with time he’d accept it. With the other humans, your task is to make sure they don’t break any important rules, and that they are contributing members of society. You’ll be able to remove any mental anomalies they suffer from, and keep them on task in whatever direction we choose.”

“Remove mental anomalies?” That sounds. . .awful.

“Humans seem to suffer from any number of unnatural problems, such as a lack of a will to live, insufficient energy to complete tasks, worsened by their inactivity. You’ll be able to will those things away so that they wake up on time, complete healthy exercise, eat properly, and make intelligent, safe choices.”

“But they won’t really have a choice,” I say. “You’re saying I’ll make them be good.”

He shrugs. “It benefits them as well, and it keeps things here comfortable for both you and us. Don’t worry. You won’t need to punish them—disobedience won’t be possible for them once your training is complete.”

And everything he’s saying about what I can do also applies to what he can do to me. My stomach churns angrily and my mind rejects any involvement in something like that.

“You may not like it, but this is your purpose now,” he says. “And think how it will make your life easier as well. Instead of huddling inside an abandoned store as you were, or hiding in basements, sheds, or caves, humans will return to their dwellings. They can go about their tasks of cooking, cleaning, and work as they did before, but instead of taking more than their fair share, or providing nothing of benefit and being a drain on the community they live in, they’ll receive only what they need to be healthy and productive citizens.” He pauses. “There’s no waste in an ensnared-led community.”

“It’s communism, enforced with mind control. That’s what you’re saying.”

He frowns. “Communism is a form of government where the people rule things and everyone has the same, but it never works. Human greed renders it impossible to achieve, and the lack of a singular motivating factor makes it a poor leveler as well.”

“Okay, but?—”

“The blessed will be directing your actions. You’ll merely control the weak-minded humans so that they don’t need to be killed. I think you can agree that’s a win for all of us.”